1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is related to pistons, and more precisely, to steel pistons for diesel engines.
2. Related Art
Internal combustion engine manufacturers are encountering increasing demands to improve engine efficiencies and performance, including, but not limited to, improving fuel economy, improving fuel consumption, reducing oil consumption, increasing compression loads within the cylinder bores, decreasing weight and making engines more compact. Some of these demands may be achieved by increasing the temperature and pressure of the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. It is thus important that the pistons in the engine be resistant to these increased temperatures and pressures.
In order to produce a piston which can operate in such an environment, many manufacturers have turned to forming pistons entirely of steel rather than entirely of aluminum or of both aluminum and steel. However, when exposed to the increased temperatures of combustion, steel may oxidize, which could dramatically reduce the piston's performance and durability. One process for reducing the risk of oxidation is to coat the piston with a cobalt or nickel based material. However, such an approach has its limits and may not be the most cost effective solution in all conditions.